2020 Auto Expo - Kia Sonet Concept previews the brand's next model for India

Kia made a grand debut in India at the 2018 Auto Expo, unveiling the SP Concept and showcasing its full range of cars from the Picanto to the Stinger GT. The SP Concept spawned the brand’s first model for India, the Seltos, which has since gone on to become a smash hit. 

The South Korean car-maker has adopted a similar approach for the 2020 Auto Expo that opened doors in New Delhi yesterday. Making its world debut this time is the Sonet Concept that previews an upcoming compact crossover that will slot in as the smallest in a lineup that includes Seltos, Stonic, Sportage, Sorento and Telluride.

Featuring bold and modern design elements, the Sonet Concept – like every new Kia out there – looks pleasing to the eyes.

Kia’s signature ‘Tiger Nose’ grille dominates the fascia featuring intricate step-well geometry within the mesh. Wraparound headlights emerge seamlessly from the top corners of the grille and incorporates LED Daytime Running Lights. The squared-off wheel arches and those interesting C-pillars that sharply rise to the top before appearing to wrap themselves around the roof give this little crossover an attractive profile. Further adding to the appeal are door handles that sit flush with the body and ultra-thin mirrors. The rear features a light bar that joins the taillights and houses the Kia logo in the middle. Giving that extra dose of sportiness are brushed silver inserts in the front and rear bumpers and bright red highlights in the grille, bumpers, doors and alloy wheels.  

Don’t expect the production model to look too different from this concept. Kia might do a Seltos here which looks very much like the SP Concept!

Kia’s diminutive crossover will share its underpinnings with the similarly-sized Hyundai Venue. Three engines – a 1.2-liter petrol, a 1.0-liter turbocharged petrol and a 1.5-liter diesel – are likely to be offered along with manual and automatic transmission options including the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) from the Venue.  

When it goes on sale later this year, the Sonet will enter a crowded segment currently dominated by Maruti-Suzuki’s Vitara Brezza and Hyundai’s Venue. Other rivals include the Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV3OO. 

Watch this space to know if Kia emerges unscathed the third time after back-to-back hits in the form of Seltos and Carnival.

2018 Auto Expo - Kia announces its arrival with the SP Concept

Tata Motors might have stolen the limelight at the 2018 Auto Expo in New Delhi but one car-maker that has gone there all guns blazing is Kia. With an army of 15 models from its global portfolio and the entire top brass in tow, the South Korean car-maker couldn’t have reaffirmed its commitment to India more.

In the midst of all this, Kia took the wraps off the SP Concept, previewing a Creta-sized crossover that’s expected to be the brand’s first offering for the Indian market. 

On the days leading to the expo, teasers released by Kia Motor’s social media channels met with a good response despite the fact that they didn’t reveal much about the concept. Now that the covers are completely off, the initial positive feedback has turned into an overwhelmingly favourable reception.

And why not? The SP Concept looks impressive and production-ready. Knowing Kia, the production model is not likely to look much different either. 

Up front, Kia's trademark 'Tiger Nose' grille is now bigger, a bit toned down and extends right up to the fancy LED positioning lights. A mix of gloss black elements and silver inserts spruce up the fascia as does the sculpted bumper with vertical Daytime Running Lights. Move over to the sides and the vehicle impresses with a prominent shoulder line, contrasting roof, exaggerated wheels and interesting detailing around the C-pillar and the door cladding. The smart rear houses LED taillights with a silver insert running across the width of the car connecting them. 

Neither the interiors nor the specifications of the SP Concept were released but its safe to assume the 1.6-liter petrol and diesel engines from the Creta would be the power of choice for Kia India's first crossover. 

Based on the Creta, the SP Concept is likely to transform into a production model that, according to Kia, will go on sale in the second half of 2019. When it hits the market, expect the SP-based crossover to lock horns with Hyundai's own Creta apart from similarly-priced rivals like the Maruti-Suzuki S-Cross and Renault's Duster and Captur twins.

From the little Picanto to the smashing Stinger GT, the entire lineup of Kia cars were on display as were the brand's SUVs and crossovers - Stonic, Sportage, Sorento and Mohave.

Globally, Kia has been a force to reckon with in recent years with their models known for eye-catchy styling, feature-loaded interiors, industry-leading 7-year warranty and top reliability ratings. Combine all of that with the aggression and commitment the Koreans are known for, Kia might just be the next big thing in the Indian automotive industry!

2018 Auto Expo - Toyota unveils Yaris sedan for India

On the opening day of the 2018 Auto Expo in New Delhi, Toyota unveiled its next model for India, the Yaris sedan. A popular car in the South Asian markets like Singapore and Thailand where Toyota dominates the sales charts, the Yaris sedan would finally see Toyota battling with arch-rival Honda in the mid-size segment. Let's not forget the City has been ruling the roost in this segment for two decades now with the Ciaz and Verna challenging for the throne in recent years.

  

Unlike the Etios that was developed exclusively for emerging markets like India and therefore had evident cost cutting, the Yaris is a global Toyota model. And you realize that the moment you look at the car. Yes, the Yaris gets the proper Toyota treatment and looks like a smaller interpretation of the Corolla Altis. 

Up front, large swept-back headlights are placed on either side of a thin split grille that houses the logo. Underneath it is a large trapezoidal grille with black horizontal slats. LED DRLs are placed on the outermost edges of the grille while fog lamps get their own enclosures at the two corners of the bumper. A nice touch is the body-coloured lip underlining the bumper. The well-proportioned profile has a trio of subtle creases that break the monotony while the rear has large wraparound taillights that extend into the tailgate.

The interiors, like most Toyotas, are expected to be more functional than stylish featuring a dual-tone dashboard with a multi-functional steering wheel and a waterfall-like center console. Toyota appears to be gunning for the premium card here with the Yaris coming fully loaded with features like seven airbags, Traction Control System, Hill Start Assist, front parking sensors, powered front seats, roof-mounted rear air-conditioning vents and front and rear disc brakes amongst the other regular ones expected in a car from this segment.

Powering the Yaris would be the 1.5-liter petrol engine borrowed from the Etios, albeit in a higher state of tune. Producing a modest 108 horsepower, the engine is mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed CVT-based automatic transmission. There will be no diesel option initially though a launch at a later date remains very much a possibility. 

Toyota has announced that the Yaris sedan would hit the dealerships this April with deliveries starting soon afterwards. Knowing Toyota, expect this sedan to be priced at a premium compared to its rivals from Maruti-Suzuki, Hyundai and Honda. That said, Toyota's strong brand pull and the fact that the Yaris is a well-known nameplate means there are high chances of this becoming yet another success story for the Japanese car-maker in India.

2018 Auto Expo - Tata unveils radical H5X and 45X Concepts

Tata Motors was easily the star of the last two editions of the Auto Expo held in New Delhi. So, it was a sense of déjà vu in the Indian capital today as the curtains raised on the 2018 Auto Expo. The Pune-based car-maker was the show-stopper yet again, this time with two radical concepts that preview the future design direction of the brand. 

Over the last few years, Tata Motors have been reinventing themselves through a design-led, product-based transformation. A key pillar that enabled them do that was the so-called 'Impact Design' philosophy. The H5X and 45X Concepts, unveiled today, mark the second incarnation of the design language that's now called the "Impact Design 2.0".

After a series of teasers that built up hype, here are the two concepts in all their glory.

H5X Concept previews Tata's flagship SUV

Tata's much-awaited, Land Rover-based flagship SUV, the H5X Concept, was the first to take to the stage today. And by doing so, it left the onlookers stunned! 

With a bold fascia that houses a more prominent version of Tata's 'Humanity Line', the H5X Concept boasts tremendous presence. Further accentuating it are the unique foglamp enclosures with a tri-arrow pattern and the heavily-flared wheel arches housing massive 22-inch wheels. Add to that the long wheelbase, minimal overhangs, the sloping roofline and the progressively-shrinking glasshouse, the H5X Concept has a stance you just can't ignore. Particularly impressive are the design touches around the C-pillars. With the roof sloping downwards, the rear windows rise up sharply, narrows down to almost nothing before opening up and merging with the rear windscreen.

Of course, there are a bunch of conceptual elements - ultra-thin LED headlights, gorgeous but impractical wheels, jazzy rear-view mirrors and the likes - that won't make it to production. Still, if the Hexa and Nexon are anything to go by, expect the production model to look very similar. 

The minimalist interiors, with a fully-digital cluster, touch-everything center console and clutter-free, devoid-of-buttons cabin, hint at what the future has in store for us. Yes, these are not likely to make it to production as it is but rest assured the H5X-based SUV would easily have the best interiors we've ever seen on a Tata vehicle.

The H5X Concept is built on Tata's new 'Omega Architecture' which has been derived from Land Rover's L550 platform. Powering the SUV would be Fiat's MultiJet 2.0 diesel engine, albeit with Tata's own branding and two different power outputs. That's because both 5-seater and 7-seater variants are expected with the former likely to launch with 140 horsepower and the latter tuned to deliver 170 horsepower.

With the H5X Concept, Tata has got the looks, the specs and the underpinnings right. So, when it goes on sale, all it needs is a good price to take off!

45X Concept is aimed at the Baleno and i20    

With the Tiago, Tigor and Nexon, Tata has all but one bases covered this side of 10 Lakh Rupees. All that's missing is a premium hatchback. The 45X Concept, unveiled today, hints at how an upcoming car from Tata in that segment could look like.

Featuring Tata's new Impact Design 2.0 philosophy, the car looks bold and striking. Thin lights connected to an inset grille by Tata's trademark 'Humanity Line' are similar to the H5X Concept as are the separate bumper inserts with an unique tri-arrow pattern. The profile is eye-catchy with a prominent crease that originates in the front fender and runs parallel to the window line until it joins the taillights. As always, there are a bunch of design elements that won't make it to production like the cameras in place of rear view mirrors, those flush-fitted door handles, the ultra-thin rubber shod on massive wheels and the split dual roof spoiler at the rear. 

No other details or specifications of the car are out with the show car sealed in a glass case and kept out of reach of show-goers. 

Forget the specs though, if the production model looks anywhere close to this concept, Tata would have a beeline of people queuing up in front of their dealerships. Maruti-Suzuki and Hyundai should be scared!

Both these killer-looking concepts are expected to make it to production sometime in 2019. Problem is, we can't wait until then. Come on, Tata, launch them already!

Apart from these two concepts, Tata had the AMT variants of Nexon, JTP-branded performance variants of the Tiago and Tigor and full-electric variants of the Tiago and Tigor on display amongst others. Also making its Indian debut was the TAMO Racemo, this time in an all-electric guise! 

All we got to say is, 'Bring them all and make us proud, Tata'!